New data shows demand for desalination growing worldwide

TOPSFIELD, Mass. — New data from the International Desalination Association (IDA) and Global Water Intelligence (GWI) DesalData has shown that the amount of new desalination capacity expected for 2013 is 50 percent more than last year, according to a press release.

The total capacity of all 17,277 working desalination plants in the world has risen to 80.9 million cubic meters per day, equal to 32 years of rain for London, the release reported.

According to the release, demand for desalination is continuing to grow, much of it coming from the industrial sector.

"You could see this as the water-energy nexus in action," said Christopher Gasson, publisher of GWI DesalData. "The energy industry needs water, both in refining and power generation as well as upstream. The water industry also needs energy, and the two seem to be coming together in increased demand for desalination."

The top five seawater desalination countries by online capacity, the release continued, are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Kuwait and Algeria.

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